FEATURE - Traditional Greenlandic Music 1906-1989

Ever wondered what Greenland’s culture was like between the 1900s and 1980s? Well, we've got the solution to your unanswered question.

At the WOMEX 15 Film Screening, the documentary Sumé – The Sound of a Revolution already gave us a glimpse of an answer by introducing us to the first Greenlandic rock band, their political songs and their influence on the island’s history in the 70s.

Well that was just the tip of the iceberg (sorry): Karsten Sommer and Michael Hauser went even further. They rescued 800 Greenlandic music recordings from dusty archives, which had been collected since 1906 from all over Greenland, and selected five hours - the best 189 tracks - picturing the world of Thule, West and East Greenland. The result: Traditional Greendlandic Music Vol. 1-5 1906-1989 – a 5-CD-boxset full of inspiring Greenlandic storytelling.

Interested to get to know music from a culture unknown to most of us and want to find out more about this rare arctic treasure? Visit the ULO Music website and let us know what you think!